


A toast!

by jillyfae



Series: Sweetest of All Sounds [19]
Category: Beyond Belief (TAH), Dragon Age II
Genre: AU, Crossover, F/M, Fluff without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-17
Packaged: 2018-02-09 06:17:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1972098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jillyfae/pseuds/jillyfae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, I am a <em>huge</em> fan of <a href="http://thrillingadventurehour.com/index.php">Thrilling Adventure Hour</a>, and am particularly enamored of the <em>Beyond Belief</em> segment ... so of course that's what I chose when I got an anonymous prompt for <a href="http://faejilly.tumblr.com/post/81393646262">Sebastian/Adelaide TAH</a>.</p><p>And then I wasn't sure how to post it? Because it's short. And silly. And only vaguely DA since Adelaide and Sebastian are apparently some sort of ghost hunters in this one.</p><p>IDEK, don't expect sense. But there is gin. So at least it's happy. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A toast!

"Oh, oh, oh, did she do the thing with the hair and the sighing and the seaweed and that drop of water on her nose and the pale skin and the  _fingers?_ "  Sadie leaned forward, free hand wiggling through the air to illustrate the finger-thing, her other hand still steady around her glass, despite the implausibly bright shine in her eyes.  

"Yes!" Adelaide had to brace her elbow on the table; the room was starting to spin, just a little, and it would be  _tragic_ if she spilled something on her hand instead of drinking it properly.  ”However did you know?”

"Rusalka, darling." Sadie rolled her eyes.  "Whatever else can you expect?"

"Then there we go!” 

"There we go where?"  Sadie’s voice dropped to a whisper.  "Were we going somewhere? Because I have to tell you, that’s usually a  _terrible_ idea, going anywhere.  Ever. At all.  Except perhaps an auction.  But only one that has another bar in it, of course.”

"Oh, no," Adelaide shook her head slowly.  "I’m certainly not going anywhere. Also I’m not sure I can remember where the door is?  But we need a toast before we pour the next round."

"Do we?"  Sadie lifted her eyebrows, ever so slowly, and Adelaide felt a faint pang of envy, that she was sure her face never did anything quite that elegant.   _I really must congratulate her husband on his good luck whenever I meet him._  

"I don’t know that we  _need_ a toast,” Sadie continued, “refills are necessary with or without ceremony, and I certainly wouldn’t stop just because we hadn’t …”

"Well, maybe not _need_.  But it’s fun, and I’ve got one anyways!  It’ll be quick!”

"Well, in that case, carry on darling, carry on.  And then pour."

Adelaide lifted her glass up again, carefully considering her fingers, placed all in a row down the side to prevent too much wobbling as her arm moved.  ”To terribly predictable water demons making it easy to send them on their way, so there’s plenty of time to go drinking afterwards!”

"Ohh, that is a nice one, if a little long for regular use."

There was one quick bright sound of glass against glass, and Adelaide swallowed down the last of her drink, and reached for the bottle to pour some more, as her lovely new friend had requested.

"Sadistic, darling,"  Adelaide turned to see a man in an exquisite suit approaching, dark of hair, with a surprisingly attractive moustache.  Adelaide didn’t usually have much use for moustaches, but he pulled it off.  Rather dashing, even.  "I cannot help but notice there was a clink here a moment ago.  Without me."

"Frankenstein!"  Sadie waved him over, her head tilting just enough to present her cheek, which he stepped close enough to kiss before he turned a rather tight gaze towards Adelaide.  "Do let me introduce you to Miss Adelaide Hawke, originally of the Kirkwall Amells.  She hunts demons!"

"All on her own?" 

"No, no, I’ve got a whole little band of misfits helping me out."  Adelaide pulled the spare empty glass across the table, filling into it and sliding it towards the spot at the table next to Sadie.  "Do join us for a drink?"

Frank’s expression softened, just a little, and he picked the glass up.  He didn’t sit down though.  ”But she doesn’t need us to help her hunt demons?”

"Not a bit!" Sadie answered.  "She was just telling me about a rusalka they got rid of yesterday.  Or perhaps the day before that?"

"Well, then."  Frank pulled his chair almost soundlessly back, just enough for him to settle down, and nod in something that was almost a greeting.  "I suppose I am not entirely displeased to meet you."

Adelaide couldn’t quite suppress a giggle in response to his vaguely affronted tone.  He clearly wanted to be displeased to meet anyone. Then again, most everyone was dull in comparison to Sadie, so she couldn’t really blame him.  

"I should really warn you though, our bottle is almost empty."  Adelaide shook it gently, the slightest swish of the dregs at the bottom the only sound.

"Never fret, my dears!"  Frank flashed something that was almost a grin at her.  "Whatever do you think I was doing while you two were getting acquainted?"

"Oh, oh, Frank, should I guess?"

"Always, my dear."

"Did you get more gin?"

"I did!"

Adelaide blinked, as three more bottles materialized in the middle of the table.   _Was he carrying those? I didn’t see …_

But then her glass was full again, and they were having another toast,  _to gin!_

And then again, _to_ _Frank, for getting the gin!_

Frank really was remarkably charming, once he decided she wasn’t engaging in some sort of long con to try and make them go deal with ghosts or something.

"I cannot help but notice," Frank drawled as Adelaide blinked at her glass some time later, which somehow was not-empty again. She wasn’t quite sure how many times it had newly become not-empty, and was beginning to wonder if she’d still remember how to  _walk_ whenever Sebastian finally got back from his meeting with Goran.  ”That there are  _four_ glasses here?  As there are three of us, that is either one too many, or, if you were pouring two at a time, as is only polite when drinking with Doyles, that is one too  _few._ ”

"Oh, that’s for her partner, whatever was his name again, Adelaide?"

“ _Sebastian._ "  Adelaide paused, having to take a moment to think past the feel of his name in her mouth.  "He’ll be happy to make his own gin and tonic when he gets here, heavy on the tonic _._  He doesn’t drink much.”

Sadie gasped, a look of something approaching horror crossing her face.  Frank frowned, a crease between his eyebrows as that tight look of imminent disapproval appeared again.

"It’s alright, I promise, he’s pretty enough to make up for it."  Their expressions didn’t ease in the slightest, Frank even going so far as to make a dim snort of disdain in the back of his throat.  "Plus, he usually brings scotch with him when he comes back from a visit with his cousin.  Exquisite scotch.  I’m sure if we ask very nicely he’ll share."

"Ah, so you only love me for my family’s liquor cabinet, is that it?"

"Sebastian!"  Adelaide turned at the familiar warm voice behind her, grinning as he shook his head, clearly amused at her borderline incoherent attempts to defend him.  She discovered she could stand, despite the gin, as she rose to greet him.

Walking had been a poor idea, however, as she was unsteady enough to almost fall after two steps.  Two steps were all it took to be close enough for Sebastian to catch her, though, and with her head resting comfortably against his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her, she felt perfectly vindicated in her attempt.

He kissed the top of her head, and her eyes closed on a sigh, and it took a moment before she realized the silence had gotten a bit heavy, and she had utterly and completely failed to introduce anyone.

"Sorry." She shifted her weight, just enough to allow herself to stand up straight, only her elbow resting against Sebastian’s side to remind her which was up, and nodded carefully towards the table.  "Frank, Sadie, may I introduce Sebastian Vael."

"If you must," Frank agreed.

"Sebastian, these are Frank and Sadie Doyle."  She dropped her voice.  " _They see ghosts_.”

Sebastian went very still beside her.  ”Do they need help with these ghosts?”

"Oh, no, not at all, they take care of all their own ghosts.  We were just comparing notes on the best way to deal with skrzak, a bit before you got here."

She felt Sebastian relax, a soft breath of air above her head, almost a laugh, almost a sigh.  ”Last I checked, skrzak were  _imps_ , not ghosts.”

"Oh, you know how it is," Adelaide shrugged, leaning forward to encourage him to step closer to the table so they could both sit down.  "Once you’ve dealt with one supernatural creep, everyone thinks you can deal with  _all_ of them.”

"Terrible, but true.  People." Frank’s drained his glass, setting it down with a thud, eyes sharp as they focused on Sebastian.  "Always showing up, wanting something."

"Except when they’re bringing glenlivet?" Sebastian suggested, leaning forward to place yet another bottle on the table.  "As it appears that it was expected before me."

"Well, why didn’t you say so!"  Frank’s voice lightened.  "Take a seat, man, take a seat."

"Don’t mind Frank," Adelaide whispered as they sat down, "he doesn’t like anyone besides Sadie.  And liquor. And then Sadie again."

Sebastian’s lips twitched into a smile, and his eyes warmed as he looked at Adelaide.  ”Seems like perfectly reasonable priorities to me.”

“ _Oh_ _Frank,_  doesn’t he just have the most adorable accent?” Sadie sat straight up, almost as if she was going to clap with delight.  ”It’s like the r’s are vowels  _and_ consonants both at once! Do it again.”

Sebastian blinked.  ”Perfectly reasonable priorities?”

"Yes, that! And so easy going, he didn’t even ask before he did it.  Adelaide, do promise you’re keeping him."

"Well, I’m planning to, yes."  Adelaide smiled, and slid her chair close enough to lean against Sebastian’s side, his arm settling around her shoulders again.

"Very clever of you. That deserves a toast!"

"Does everything deserve a toast?" Sebastian asked, one eyebrow raised as he watched the practiced maneuver of _pour - clink- glug_. 

"Only great news. Or good news. Or things that might become good news. Or to make you feel better about bad news. Or to forget really terrible news." Sadie continued without ever apparently needing to take a breath, "or to check the sound of new glasses when they clink, or to make sure none of the slower members of the audience have forgotten the subtext, or sometimes just because it’s a good cocktail that deserves recognition."

"Is there a problem with that?" Frank sounded actually curious rather than annoyed, any more.  He’d recognized over-protective, Adelaide thought.

"Not at all."  Sebastian’s smile widened.  "Just wondering how much of this Adelaide is likely to remember, tomorrow."

"Remembering things is  _terribly_ over-rated.”

"This seems a nice enough memory to keep track of, to me."

"Oh, Frank, listen to that, he’s  _charming_ too.  She’s right.  He’s quite pretty enough to make up for it.  Besides!”  Sadie turned suddenly, as if determined to announce some brand new thought.  ”That means there’s more for us!”

"Excellent point, love."  Frank lifted his glass.  "To having more for us!"

_Clink._


End file.
